Fluid dispenser



March 9, 1965 5. M. VOSBURG 3,172,575

FLUID DISPENSER Original Filed Feb. 12, 1962 10c 11b 13a 13a 11a United States Patent Claims. (Cl. 222-185) This invention relates generally to fluid dispensers, and more particularly to fluid dispensers for replenishing the ink in a hand stamp or hand printer. This invention is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 172,474, filed February 12, 1962, for a Hand Stamp.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction for a fluid dispenser used in an inverted position for metering a fluid from the lower end thereof.

It is a further object to provide a novel construction for a fluid dispenser wherein the fluid container comprises a compressible container or bottle with certain means carried on the bottle opening for dispensing a metered amount of fluid from the compressible bottle when it is compressed and which will operate after the compression of the bottle is released to quickly permit the bottle to assume its normal shape.

It is still another object to provide a novel valve construction which is usable with a hand stamp of the type having a handle comprising a compressible container or bottle for sealing the bottle opening in the hand stamp and for providing an ink passageway for delivering a metered amount of ink from the bottle to the hand stamp.

It is still another object to provide a novel valve construction usable with a hand stamp of the preceding paragraph which will permit a substantially larger amount of air to enter the compressible bottle handle when the bottle is released than the amount of ink which is deliverable through the valve to the hand stamp.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of a fluid dispenser constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partially cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 2, but showing the valve in the operated position which permits rapid entrance of air into the compressible bottle.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present embodiment byone skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Generally, the present invention comprises a shallow frame member having a central opening over which a bottle adapted is secured. The bottle adapter carries a unique bottle-sealing and valve arrangement, and a compressible bottle handle is inserted into the bottle adapter in cooperation with the bottle-sealing and valve arrangement. Any suitable fluid receiving means such as a hand stamp may be carried in the relatively shallow frame member shown in the drawing, and it is contemplated that the shallow frame member may be made in any other desired shape.

The invention is operated by compressing the bottle which may function as a handle. Fluid is then metered through a small opening or orifice in the valve arrangement, and through the hole in the frame member. When 3,172,575 Patented Mar. 9, 1955 sufiicient fluid has been forced from the bottle, pressure on the bottle is released to permit the compressible bottle to regain its natural shape. When the bottle is released, air will pass through the hole in the frame member to lift a section of the valve arrangement which carries the fluid feed orifice and will pass into the bottle. The action of the valve arrangement upon the release of the blottle permits a rapid return of the bottle to its natural s ape.

If an excessive amount of fluid has been permitted to flow into the frame member, the excess may be drawn into the bottle by positioning a bottle below the frame, and by then compressing and releasing the bottle to draw the excess fluid into the bottle.

The valve arrangement cooperates with the bottle and I the frame to provide metered fluid flow from the bottle through the frame and a substantially larger air flow through the frame and into the bottle. In addition the novel arrangement provides a fluid seal between the bottle and the bottle adapter. When the bottle is positioned above the frame, the weight of the fluid in the bottle will maintain a large volume valve section of the valve in the closed position. A partial vacuum in the bottle above the fluid and the viscosity of a fluid such as ink will substantially restrict any fluid flow through the orifice of the valve.

In detail, the present invention comprises a frame 10 having downwardly turned sidewalls 10a and end walls 10b. The frame 10 may be formed of a material such as stainless steel. A central portion of the frame 10, as may be seen in FIGURE 2, is provided with an opening over which a bottle adapter 11 is secured. The bottle adapter 11 is positioned over the hole 100 in the frame 10 and is secured to the frame 10 by a shoulder 11a which is turned over on the underside of the frame 10. The bottle adapter 11 comprises a recess which is threaded to receive the open end of the bottle 12. The bottom of the recess in the bottle adapter 11 is provided with an opening 11b. The bottle adapter may be cast from a material such as aluminum.

The valve member 13 which is shown in a top plan view in FIGURE 3 comprises an outer ring portion 13a and a concentric inner ring portion 13b interconnected by a hinge portion 130. The valve member 13 may be formed of an elastomer material such as rubber. The valve member 13 is positioned in the bottom of the recess in the bottle adapter 11. The outer ring portion of the valve member 13 has an outer diameter slightly less than the diameter of the recess in the bottle adapter 11 and greater than the outer diameter of the open end of the bottle 12. The inner diameter of the portion 130 of the valve member 13 is smaller than the inner diameter of the open end of the bottle 12 and greater than the diameter of the opening 11b in the bottom of the recess of the bottle adapter 11. The inner ring portion 13b of the valve member 13 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the opening 11b in the bottom of the recess of the bottle adapter 11. The central portion of the inner ring portion 13b of the valve member 13 is provided with an orifice 13d. The diameter of the orifice 13d is substantially less than the diameter of the opening 11b in the bottom of the recess of the bottle adapter 11. From the foregoing it may be seen that any fluid pressure on the upper side of the portion 13b of the valve member 13 will seal the cooperating surfaces of the portion 13b and the recess of the bottle adapter 11 to prevent any fluid flow about the outer periphery of the portion 13b and through the opening 11b in the bottle adapter 11. Thus fluid pressure from within the bottle 12 may only produce the flow of a metered amount of fluid through the orifice 13d of the valve member 13 and hence through the opening 11b of the bottle adapter 11 to the underside of the frame 10. Any fluid pressures acting upwardly upon the portion 13b of the valve member 13 will cause the portion 13b to be hingedly raised from the bottom wall of the recess in the bottle adapter 11 to permit substan tially the entire volume of any fluid at opening 11b to pass in an unrestricted manner into the bottle 12.

The bottle 12 is provided with external threads at the open end thereof which permit the open end to be threaded into the recess of the bottle adapter 11 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. The bottle 12 is formed of a relatively soft plastic material which is easily compressible, and which when released, will tend to assume its natural shape. The edge of the open end of the bottle is sealed against the portion 13a of the valve member 13 when the bottle 12 is securely threaded into the bottle adapter 11. Thus no fluid from the bottle 12 nor from the opening 11b of the bottle adapter may escape from the recess in the bottle 12 and over the outer surface of the bottle 12.

The dotted line outline shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 discloses the area within and below the frame which may receive any fluid dispensed from the bottle 12. It is contemplated that some form of hand stamp pad means may be placed within the frame 10 and secured thereto by a pair of thumbscrews 17. The thumbscrews 17 are inserted through holes provided in the upper surface of the frame member 10.

From the foregoing description it is. evident that the invention may be used to dispense a fluid such as ink into a stamp pad. It is further evident from the foregoing description that the invention may be easily separated into its components parts for cleaning thereof.

Having described the invention What is considered new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid distributing device comprising a resilient bottle, a fluid dispenser member having a hole through the bottom thereof, means in the upper portion of said dispenser for receiving said resilient bottle in an inverted position over said hole, valve means carried in said dispenser between the lower end of the said bottle and said hole in said dispenser, said valve means being formed to deliver a metered amount of fluid through said hole in said dispenser responsive to a compression of said bottle and for permitting a substantially larger volume of fluid to enter said bottle responsive to a release of compression from said bottle.

2. In a fluid distributing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve means is further formed to seal the lower end of said bottle against the escape of any fluid from said bottle other than through said hole in said dispenser.

3. A fluid distributing device comprising, a resilient bottle, a fluid dispenser having a hole through the bottom thereof, said dispenser adapted to receive said bottle in an inverted position over said hole, the opening in said bottle being substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of said hole in said dispenser, valve means comprising a substantially circular resilient member having a diameter greater than the diameter of said hole in said dispenser and smaller than the diameter of said opening in said bottle, said resilient member hingedly carried at one side thereof over said hole in said dispenser and within said opening in said bottle said resilient member having a relatively small hole therethrough in axial alignment with said hole through said dispenser for delivering a metered amount of fluid through said hole in said resilient member responsive to a compression of said bottle, and so that a release of compression from said bottle permits said resilient member to be hingedly raised from said hole in said dispenser to permit a volume of air substantially larger than said metered amount of fluid to enter said bottle.

4. A fluid distributing device comprising, a resilient bottle, a fluid dispenser having a hole through the bottom thereof, said dispenser adapted to receive said bottle in an inverted position over said hole, the opening in said bottle being substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of said hole in said dispenser, a valve comprising an annular elastomer member and a circular elastomer concentrically arranged within said annular member, an elastomer hinge integrally formed between said annular member and said circular member, said annular member having an outer diameter greater than the diameter of said hole in said dispenser and the diameter of said opening in said bottle and an inner diameter greater than the diameter of said hole in said dispenser and less than the diameter of said opening in said bottle, said circular member having a diameter less than the inner diameter of said annular member, said circular member having an orifice formed therethrough, said valve being positioned in said dispenser between said hole in said dispenser and the opening in said bottle and further arranged concentrically therewith, whereby a metered amount of fluid is delivered from said bottle through said orifice and said hole in said dispenser responsive to a compression of said bottle and so that a volume of fluid substantially larger than said metered amount is delivered through said hole in said dispenser, between said circular member and said annular member and into said bottle responsive to a release of compression from said bottle.

5. In a fluid distributing device defined in claim 4, wherein the edge of the open end of said bottle is further retained by said dispenser against said annular member in a fluid sealing relationship therewith to prevent the escape of any fluid from said bottle other than through said hole in said dispenser.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 671,423 4/01 McTernen 222-212 X 2,143,661 1/39 Schrader 222-545 X 2,236,018 3/41 Swanson 222-110 2,872,962 2/59 Laurent.

2,922,425 1/ Lerner et al 222-207 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner,

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner, 

1. A FLUID DISTRIBUTING DEVICE COMPRISING A RESILIENT BOTTLE, A FLUID DISPENSER MEMBER HAVING A HOLE THROUGH THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID DISPENSER FOR RECEIVING SAID RESILIENT BOTTLE IN AN INVERTED POSITION OVER SAID HOLE, VALVE MEANS CARRIED IN SAID DISPENSER BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF THE SAID BOTTLE AND SAID HOLE IN SAID DISPENSER, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING FORMED TO DELIVER A METERED AMOUNT OF FLUID THROUGH SAID HOLE IN 